Gareth Manning, Staff Reporter

Pamela Bailey (third left), mother of Veronica Campbell, and her family are all smiles after Veronica won the gold medal in the women's 100m at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan yesterday. From left are Veronica's brothers David and Sean Bailey, niece Chavelle Kavanaugh, sister Beverley Smith and nephew Sheldon Campbell. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Pamela Bailey was late for work yesterday morning. That was because she had to watch her daughter run one of the most important races in her career.

"Me think she lose this morning (Monday) and when me look good me see seh she no lose," a hearty Mrs. Bailey told The Gleaner as she described the heart-thumping moments of the race in Osaka, Japan, that made her daughter Veronica Campbell the first Jamaican to win gold over 100 metres at the IAAF World Championships. Campbell won the race in 11.01 seconds ahead of two Americans: Lauryn Williams who also finished in 11.01 seconds and Carmelita Jeter in 11.02 seconds.

"We rejoice and we are glad," Mrs. Bailey explained were the moments after realising her fourth child had indeed pulled through to win the race, but deep down she knew she would do it all along.

"She break many records and she going give us many [more] gold. She humble and quiet and she just go for what she wants," Bailey said shimmering with jubilation as she reminisced about her little girl's first-love relationship with track and field at the Troy All-Age School.

"She come in one evening and she tell me seh: 'Mommy a going to training'. Me seh: What kind a training?' and she seh she want to run. Me seh anything you want to do is up to you," and the relationship has continued through to this day.

Her coach and mentor of nine years, Neville Myton, though glowing with the pride of a father, is only hoping that Campbell's latest achievement will earn her the respect she deserves from Jamaicans.

Deserves respect

"One of the things I pray and hope for is that the Jamaican public give her the respect that she deserves ... you can't have a young lady who at every level of athletics she has won and we still treat her like she is not a part of the country."

He continued: "I know she hurts about that. I think winning today, as she said, [when] she won a silver medal nobody paid her any respect. That's why it was so important to win this. We hope they might pay her some respect."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Opposition Leader Bruce Golding have offered their congratulations and joy at Veronica's victory.

In a statement, Mrs. Simpson Miller said Veronica's achievement brought the island joy in the midst of efforts to recover from the passage of Hurricane Dean.

"You stayed on course, remained focus and returned to become the first Jamaican to win gold at the IAAF World Championships."

In his statement Mr. Golding added that her performance has made Jamaica proud.

"She has lifted the spirits of many Jamaicans and illustrated to us that hard work, dedication and an interminable desire to achieve will reap rewards," he said.